DAY 1: SAIGON - MY THO - BEN TRE
Transfer from Saigon to the river port for embarkation. After lunch, we journey by sampans through mangroves and bamboo forests to the fruit orchards of Ben Tre. This is an area rich in birdlife which we will explore via local transport before transferring to a local rowboat. We will journey slowly through the bamboo covered canals before arriving at a village specialising in making local products. In the evening you will be entertained by a Vietnamese dance troupe on deck.
DAY 2: CON PHUOC
Sailing through the delta offers a real insight into life along this vast waterway. After lunch, we pass through a small canal and head ashore to Con Phuoc Island where we visit local craftspeople weaving bamboo baskets the traditional way. After a demonstration, we try our hand at making our own. We then take a local tuk tuk for a drive through this peaceful village, stopping at a 100 year old church and meeting more of the friendly local community.
DAY 3: CHAU DOC - VIETNAM/CAMBODIA BORDER
We go alongside at the picturesque border town of Chau Doc where we visit the floating fish farms by sampan. We make a stop at a Chham Village and observe the lives of Vietnamese Muslims before taking minivans for a short drive to Sam Mountain, location of Phuoc Dien Tu or the Hang Pagoda. We climb the 400 steps to the top to visit the pagoda. Upon return to ship, we navigate a web of canals before dropping anchor on the Vietnam/Cambodia border to undergo Immigration formalities. During high water periods, we will instead visit Long Thuan village.
DAY 4: PHNOM PENH
Morning orientation of Phnom Penh by cyclo visiting the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda followed by the National Museum with its marvelous collection of Angkorian statuary. In the afternoon we visit the Killing Fields and Genocide museum to learn more about the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Overnight in Phnom Penh city port with its lively bars, restaurants and night life.
DAY 5: KAMPONG TRALACH
We leave the dock at Phnom Penh early morning and sail up the winding channels of the Tonle Sap river to Kampong Tralach. We travel by ox-cart around the river-side villages, markets and temples to get a sense of life along the river. In the evening cocktails are round a village fire pit where we will be joined by village folk keen to show us their traditional dancing show us more of the delightful Khmer culture.
DAY 6: OUDONG - SILK ISLAND
In the morning, travel by coach to the ancient capital of Cambodia, Oudong. On the way we stop to visit the Vipassana Dhura Meditation Centre before taking a drive around the old capital. We re-join our ship at Prek Kdam before returning to the Mekong. After lunch we sail to Koh Nghe Tei (Silk Island) to study the entire silk-making process from worms to weavers. We visit silk makers and can buy from them their lovely silk scarves and other fabrics. This village is a centre of the ancient martial art of L’bokator which roughly translates as 'pounding a lion'. It includes weapons techniques and is one of the oldest combat techniques in Cambodia and believed to date back to the Angkor empire.
DAY 7: ANGKOR BAN VILLAGE & WAT HANCHEY
Sunrise cruise to Angkor Ban village to see how local villagers live and visit the library which was donated by Pandaw to Angkor Ban secondary school.
NOTE: if you want to donate books, please bring along some Children’s books in English language (suitable for age 8 to 15 yrs) which you can personally gift to the library.
In the afternoon we sail north to Wat Hanchey, an important centre of worship during the Chenla period located on top of a hill above the mighty Mekong River with some of the best Mekong views in Cambodia. Visit 8th century structures some destroyed by American bombings during the Vietnam War.
DAY 8: SIEM REAP
Disembark and travel by coach from Kampong Cham through stunningly lovely countryside to reach Siem Reap, adjacent to Angkor Wat.
